Bono is Named "Spiritual Hero of the Year"!

[Devlin]

SunBloc: You do realize that U2 doesn't have a'christian message' per se, yes? Spiritual, I'll grant you, at times, but hardly 'Christian', no matter how it's stretched.
Heh. A lady I know tried, very, very hard to do this - right until I pointed out they have a song named 'The Playboy Mansion'. It's a little funny when people try to make U2 aChristian rock band.
Two words for that: Yeh. Right.

But if it'll keep my more fundamentalist associates from railing at me for not listening to gospel, I'll put up with it. Kinda.

 

[biff]

A lady I know tried, very, very hard to do this - right until I pointed out they have a song named 'The Playboy Mansion'.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting with this. Yes, they do have a song called "Playboy Mansion", but it's not about the Playboy Mansion in any way, salacious or otherwise. It's a metaphor. In fact, I find it one of their more Christian songs, message-wise, and I know many others who do as well.
And no, I wouldn't put U2 into the Contemporary Christian Music fold, but many of their songs do have a Christian message.
They've expressed their faith very openly on the latest album and tour.

 

[popsadie]

True...the song ends with "and will there be no time for sorrow...will there be no time for shame....a direct reference to heaven....U2 stuff is open enough to be enjoyed by people who practice various spiritual beliefs...but most of the specific references to religion are christian....

 

[biff]

Indeed. Here's the band's own comment on that:

"We've found different ways of expressing it, and recognized the power of the media to manipulate such signs. Maybe we just have to sort of draw our fish in the sand. It's there for people who are interested. It shouldn't be there for people who aren't." -- Bono on faith, quoted in "U2 at the End of the World"

 

[SunBloc]

Devlin, interesting point. U2 is not a "Christian" band, but their music is rooted in a faith that crosses nearly all borders.

 

[Jamila]

Devlin, interesting point. U2 is not a "Christian" band, but their music is rooted in a faith that crosses nearly all borders.

Thanks SunBloc for that succinct description of U2's spirituality.

 

[biff]

 

[Jamila]

1 Corinthians 13:4


Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud,

Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy.

Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited.

The love is long-suffering, it is kind, the love doth not envy, the love doth not vaunt itself, is not puffed up....



Let's please remember this - especially our "Christian" experts.

 

[Liesje]

Devlin, interesting point. U2 is not a "Christian" band, but their music is rooted in a faith that crosses nearly all borders.

I think this is an interesting topic to debate (and probably needs it's own thread) because to me, calling U2 "spiritual" but not "Christian" seems more like a compromise than a proper classification. Bono's lyrics can be almost explicitly Christian at times (paraphrases from Scripture, metaphors/analogies of Christian concepts or themes), but then you have the rest of the band who contribute the music itself, where it's impossible to communicate "spirituality", "Christianity", or something entirely secular.

I think the band has done a fine job keeping their spirituality and religiosity private in order to compromise for the sake of each other and the sake of the wider audience.

 

[Liesje]

1 Corinthians 13:4


Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud,

Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy.

Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited.

The love is long-suffering, it is kind, the love doth not envy, the love doth not vaunt itself, is not puffed up....


Let's please remember this - especially our "Christian" experts.

I think Christian experts would probably rather apply a proper theological exegesis of the text instead of using it as a catch-all.

Besides, you left out my favorite part!...

"And still these three remain: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love."

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

Bono's getting plenty of Christian/spiritual media coverage it seems. He was also on the cover of New Man's November/December 2005 issue (One of their "men of the year" along with 35 others including Billy Graham, Lance Armstrong, George W. Bush and Darth Vader <-- ). Here's a selection from the editor's note:

"...Not all of the 36 men on our list--which was compiled by staffers, editorial advisors and readers--are believers. Problem is, if we limit ourselves to learning only from the lives of believers, we will end up with a pretty sheltered view of life. Scripture itself tells stories of imperfect people-and outright wicked people-so that we might see how God is at work in the world and observe the consequences of disobedience.

Telling someone's story does not constitute a call to emulate that person's behavior in all areas of life. But there are some things we could learn from these men.

Take U2 frontman Bono, who fronts our cover this issue. While he's far from being another Billy Graham (who also made our list this year), most Christians can learn a thing or two from him about global concern... Whether or not you agree with our inclusion of men like Bono and Lance Armstrong on our Men of the Year list, I hope that you'll make the most of the time you have left this year..."

As opposed to allowing Bono's inclusion in the list ruin your days to come? [melodrama]HOW could BONO have MADE that LIST?!?[/melodrama]

Anyway this may be old news to some but I just found this issue in my dad's stack o' mail. Here's Bono's (only) quote from the article:

"I just go where the life is, you know? Where I feel the Holy Spirit. If it's in the back of a Roman Catholic cathedral, in the quietness and the incense, which suggest the mystery of God, of God's presence, or in the bright lights of the revival tent, I just go where I find life. I don't see denomination. I generally think religion gets in the way of God."

EDIT: I just noticed Brad Pitt was also on this list... for his work with the ONE Campaign and "for proving that having a sexy wife does not guarantee a perfect marriage."